a.c. bhaktivedanta swami
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| Prabhupada Letters :: 1969 a.c. bhaktivedanta swami |
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30 April 2005 Wednesday, April 30, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Isanadas, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 25, 1969, and I have noted the contents with pleasure. I am pleased that you are taking serious interest in helping us spread this sublime movement of Lord Caitanya to the Western World, which has such urgent need of this knowledge. Regarding your idea of going to London before they obtain a temple, I do not think this will be the best thing because already they are scattered there, living separately, and they are inconvenienced. I have asked them to occupy a building and assured them of guarantee of payment. If the building is occupied, then by June I shall also go there, and then you will be welcome there. But without having a temple there I do not think it will be very much beneficial. Now you are helping the Montreal temple, and that is nice. I am glad to learn of your policy of occupants in your building. If that house can develop into a students home, preaching our philosophy to the residents, it will be a great service. Make it a point that at a certain period of time there should be lecture about Krishna consciousness and some kirtana. This time should be fixed up for all residents. So if they take part in kirtana and have opportunity to hear our philosophy, certainly they will take it up. Side by side, if our prasadam program is also introduced, that will also be great impetus. Regarding Vibhavati's plan of natural childbirth, this is very good. Since your wife is pregnant, let her be engaged with some little work, That will help her natural childbirth. I have read your suggestions for improving Back To Godhead and they are very good. You are acquainted with Rayarama, so please write your suggestions to him. But I like these ideas you have suggested. Please convey my blessings to your good wife, Vibhavati, and I hope this will meet the both of you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami NB: Your suggestion of sending me a report of your daily activities is very nice, and you may do it. letters | 07:27 | April 30, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Harer Nama, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 21, 1969, and I have gone over the contents very carefully. I am pleased to learn that your mother is willing to pay for your schooling expenses, and I think that you may take this opportunity of completing your education. I have enclosed one letter to Prabhavati, and you should see this letter also. Regarding your request to sing prayers in English, this is nice suggestion, and you may do it. So far as the songs that you have written, you may send me a copy of them and I shall see them. In Montreal also they are writing songs in the popular Western style of music and it is coming very nicely. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:25 | April 30, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Gopala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 23, 1969 and was very pleased to note the contents. You are very anxious to have engagement in Krishna's service, so my immediate best service for you is to help organize the sales promotion of my books. I have already got five books; three volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one volume Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and one volume Teachings of Lord Caitanya. This year most probably we will have another three books; namely Nectar of Devotion, and two further volumes of Srimad-Bhagavatam. So the future hope for expansion is selling of books and magazines. So if you can make some organizational idea, you will please send it to me and I shall consider it. I am very glad that you are thinking of marrying. Why don't you marry one Krishna Conscious girl? I think instead of going to India, you should find out some Krishna Conscious girl, either from America or Canada. We have got so many nice girls in Krishna Consciousness, and she will help you in your further advancement. You are already accustomed to the climate in this part of the world, and you have got a nice job. Therefore, I would recommend you to get married here. Lord Ramacandra once said that wife can be found in every country. DESHE DESHE KALATRATRANI. DESHE DESHE means in every country, and KALATRATRANI means wives. So all the ksatriyas married in different countries. Of course you are not expected to have many wives in different countries, but if you have one wife in one country that does not hamper. But I recommend you to marry one Krishna Conscious girl from our group. Then you will be happy. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 01:23 | 29 April 2005 Thursday, April 29, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Upendra, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 21 April, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Do not be worried that there is only yourself and Gajendra as full time members. You will get more doubtlessly. Don't be agitated. Go on working sincerely and Krishna will surely help you. Both Gajendra and yourself are very sincere souls, and I give you both all blessings. So please continue to try to develop nicely. If you have got a nice place and a Sankirtana Party, then success is assured. That is already experimented in Los Angeles, You have already seen it, and try to organize a Sankirtana Party in that way in Seattle also. Seattle is a very nice place, and everywhere the students are taking part in our movement more enthusiastically. While I was in Buffalo I was very much pleased with the student community there, and similarly I saw good response in San Francisco. I have already invitation from Columbus and North Carolina, so our future hope is this student community. The child is the father of the man, and if the fathers of the children in this country are not taking part with us, the future fathers are surely sympathetic. That is a great hope for us. Regarding Back To Godhead, when we get copies from Japan, I have program to distribute several thousand copies freely. In the meantime, get the concessional rate from the Post Office. They have got such rates in Los Angeles and New York, it is about 2 and a half or 3 cents per copy. so you may select some nice, important names; government men, leading industrialists, businessmen, and when you get the concessional rates you should distribute at least 100 copies from your center freely. The postage and copies will be supplied to you. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 08:16 | April 29, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Hayagriva, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 25, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I have already sent Pradyumna the schedule of my touring in this part of the country. I did not know that there was so many important engagements in Columbus because formerly I was informed only that on the 12th there was an important meeting. So as I am going on the 9th, I shall be staying there for six days, till the 14th. On the 15th I will be going to North Carolina. So if you think that in Columbus there are many other engagements, then I may come back again to Columbus and stay there for as long as you like, and then I shall go on to New Vrindaban. Best thing will be if you talk with Bhurijana in North Carolina and arrange things mutually. I don't think he will be able to change the present arrangements because he has sent me one press cutting in which it is advised that I shall speak there on the 16th. Therefore, the best thing may be to come back. So you may not make any program for me on the 15th, 16th and 17th. Then on the 18th we can make more programs at Columbus. I am enclosing one letter to be handed over to the girl, Cynthia Daily, who is there in Columbus with you. I hope this will meet you in very good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 06:13 | April 29, 1969 Allston, Mass First National City Bank Grand Street Branch Grand Street and Bowery New York, 13, NY Att: Manager Dear Sir: Re: MY ACCOUNT #0420160131 Kindly transfer from my above mentioned account $3,500 to the Bank of America (Pico-La Cienega Branch, Los Angeles--Branch #308) for credit of my savings account there #3082-80075, and send me the advice of charge at the above address. Enclosed please find my change of address notice. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours Truly, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. letters | 04:11 | 28 April 2005 Monday, April 28, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Pradyumna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 23, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am arranging for the certificates to be sent to both Hayagriva and yourself, and you should receive them before long. My travelling schedule for the next few weeks will be as follows: I shall arrive in Columbus on flight 485, United Airlines, at 10:47 on May 9, 1969. Then on the 15th of May I shall be going to North Carolina, and then on the 18th of May I shall proceed to New Vrindaban. I am pleased to learn of your nice Krishna Conscious activities in Columbus, and I shall be happy to see you there soon. Hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 11:51 | April 28, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Mukunda, Please accept my blessings. I am very much perturbed in mind that you are living scattered with the others. The letter which I have written to Gurudasa is sent herewith in a carbon copy. As you will find in that letter, I am prepared to give a letter of guarantee of the Bank of America to the authorities of the mortuary building up to the extent of $15,000. So you must occupy that house at any rate. If George Harrison's letter of guarantee is not sufficient, then I am also prepared to guarantee for $15,000. Let them know that we are not paupers. If need be, you can show the authorities my latest bank balance in Bank of America. Enclosed is the latest note, dated 21, April 1969. This can be increased to $15,000 without any difficulty. So complete the transaction, and the house may be occupied immediately. Please convey my blessings to the others also. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. You can also let them know that I am permanent resident of the U.S.A. immigrant as Ordained Minister of Religion with fifteen branches all over the states. Also you can ask Brahmananda to send "TLC" which is now received and it is far superior quality book than anyone is get-up all binding. ACB letters | 03:49 | 27 April 2005 April 27, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Gurudasa, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of April 20, 1969, sent along with some pictures. All the pictures you sent are very important. You are doing very laudable service by collecting some old reminiscences, and I shall do the needful in due course; there is no immediate emergency. Your idea of writing a book named Swamiji was formerly informed to me. Unfortunately, because I am travelling in so many places--from Los Angeles to Hawaii, then to San Francisco, then again Los Angeles, then New York, then Buffalo, and now I am in Boston. From here I shall go to Columbus, then to North Carolina, then to New Vrindaban, and then I may go to London if required. At that time I shall give you solid information for both the Krishna book and the Swamiji book. But for the time being all of you should concentrate your energies to occupy the house mortuary by all means. It is understood that Mr. George Harrison has given a letter of guarantee for payment of rent, but if they want further guarantee, I can ask Bank of America or any other bank to give the necessary guarantee of payment. Somehow or other you must satisfy them and occupy the house. That is the immediate program, and as soon as this is done, I shall go there to adjust things in right order. If some way or other you miss to occupy the house, then you can arrange for me some place with someone who can receive me as guest at least for one month. That also will help me in organizing things there. And what about Mataji? When she was here she assured me so many things hopeful that she wants to work conjointly. I understand that Syamasundara. has gone to Mataji to build an altar. This means that she has already started the temple. She wanted me also to go to London, and I told her that as soon as opening of temple is assured, I shall go to London, leaving aside all other engagements here. But since she has departed she has not written me anything, although I have written her one letter forwarded through Malati, acknowledging receipt of her book, Mataji Charitavali. I am little disturbed hearing from Yamuna that you are in financial difficulty there. If you can sell our Back To Godheads and our books, how there can be financial difficulty? From the month of June you will have 5,000 BTG's, and you can make 35 cents profit on BTG. So roughly calculated, even if you distribute BTG wholesale, you make minimum profit of 20 cents per copy. Thus, you can easily make $1,000 profit simply by selling BTG, and what to speak of the books? Besides that, if you have got kirtana engagements, why should there be any difficulty of finance. The only problem is you have no place to live together. That you must make immediate solution. If you have no place to live together immediately, ask Mataji to give you a place. If she does not, then secure the mortuary at any cost. If they require a bank guarantee we shall arrange for this. Another thing, the proprosal of Mr. Gupta to give you 150 Rs is simply ludicrous, and for us it is insulting. Do you think that an American boy like you can live in India on $20? This talk means they are not very serious or important men, so you should be careful to mix with them. There is no use asking any help from these embassy men. I know they will never help our Hare Krishna movement. The government is pledged to the policy of secularism, so as soon as there is any scent of religious fervor, they at once become opposing element. Please inform Yamuna that I have received her nice certificates, and her letter is also replied in this letter to her husband. I hope this will meet you both in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:47 | April 27, 1969 Allston, Mass. Boston Temple kirtan. 
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April 27, 1969 Allston, Mass. Boston Temple kirtan.
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26 April 2005 Saturday, April 26, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Vrndavanesvari, Please accept my blessings. I am so pleased to receive your letter dated April 18, 1969 here in Boston. I am glad to learn that little Muradvaja is now become recovered from the fever he experienced in Los Angeles, and I am also glad to learn that Mandali Bhadra has already begun the translation work. It is Krishna's desire that we should meet together and cooperate for the cause of Krishna Consciousness movement which is so badly needed throughout the world. You and your husband are quite competent to take up this responsibility and your little child, Muradvaja, is a great hope for our future activities. He is fortunate boy to have such nice father and mother, and if you can raise him properly for this purpose, you shall all be benefited from the spiritual standpoint. I am glad that Ananda is executing the Krishna Consciousness movement there in Vancouver very intelligently with determination and sincerity. Please offer him my blessings, as well as to your husband and child. I think if you can start for Germany in the beginning of July, that will be very nice help. The boys who are working there are sometimes in disagreement, so if you go and take charge of the center, it will be a great service. One boy, Jaya Govinda Brahmacari, is returning back from India, and combined together, the affairs of the Hamburg center will be arranged very nicely. By the Grace of Radharani you are already inclined to Krishna Consciousness; now you have got regular engagement to continue this consciousness to perfection. I understand that Krishna has helped you with some source of income. All the money we require is simply to meet our necessities. We do not require any more for the purpose of sense gratification. But for our necessities we can always know that Krishna will help us with all facilities. Some way or other if Mandali Bhadra gets the facility of fully working on his translation work, it will be a very nice thing. You have inquired about how we leave our body and enter into the Spiritual Sky. This information is very nicely explained in the Second Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Chapter. The idea is that this universe is just like a coconut fruit, and exactly like the coconut fruit there is covering of several layers. Each layer is said to be ten times more than the other. So when a living entity is eligible and fully prepared to enter into the Spiritual Sky, he merges his different bodily elements which are called earth, fire, water, air, and ether. In those covering layers these bodily elements return, and the living entity goes back to the Spiritual Sky. Pure devotees do not desire to enter into any one of the higher planetary systems of this universe. Sometimes mystic yogis are interested to see the higher planetary systems, and before entering into the Spiritual Sky, they take advantage of seeing the higher planetary systems. But a pure devotee is so much eager to enter back into the Spiritual Sky, especially devotees of Krishna, so they do not try even to enter into the Vaikuntha Lokas. Everything depends on the intense desire of the living entity, and Krishna gives all facilities for fulfilling such desires. So far as we are concerned, we should always be very much eager to directly contact Krishna, following the Footprints of Lord Caitanya. And as you are Vrndavanesvari, you should always pray to Srimati Radharani to engage yourself in Her Service. That will be the fulfillment of your life. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 07:02 | April 26, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Tamala Krishna, Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 19, 1969, along with a pamphlet regarding your UCLA meeting. The pamphlet is very nicely done, and you have diagnosed the disease very well, increasing the material temperature to 107 degrees and calling death immediately. I think by the Grace of Krishna you are getting good inspiration from within as Krishna is giving you good wisdom. Your explanation for getting a new place bigger than the present one is approved by me in all respects. I think Krishna's plan is working and as you have already informed Mr. Leo Brown to find out a big place for us, Krishna will help us very soon. The Los Angeles plan as described by you is so nice. The climate of Los Angeles is very much suitable for me, and if by Krishna's Grace we can have a nice headquarters for the Western side as planned by you, I shall be glad to place myself at your disposal. I am now seeking to sit down simply for training preachers and diverting my attention for completing the translation work of Srimad-Bhagavatam, but I do not know where Krishna will like me to do this work. But your nice plan makes me hopeful that Los Angeles may be the suitable place. We have certainly to develop the New Vrindaban plan, but side by side the Los Angeles plan should also be executed. I do not know how Krishna will help us, but your idea is very excellent. From yesterday, since I have come to Boston, I am feeling little backache. There is no unbearable pain, but when I stand up or walk, it is a little difficult. I think it will be cured within two or three days. So without investing further money in our present temple, because it has now become uncertain, we shall carefully save some money for investing in some new place. As our devotees are now coming by cars, we can go to a distant place undoubtedly. I have seen that there is one church just near the Bank of America on La Cienega Boulevard. I do not know to which sect this church belongs, but that church is very suitable for your described purpose. There are many churches everywhere like that, and if some of the proprietors are convinced, we can utilize such churches for this Krishna Consciousness movement for the general welfare of the mass of people. Why not approach the proprietors of such churches? I know it is very difficult, but there is no harm if we approach. Certainly when we have our new place, we must elaborately arrange for the artist department in charge of Srimati Devahuti, the mother of Indumati. She is a very nice lady, and please offer her my thanks for joining this movement. I hope she will take care of the boys and girls as their mother. So all of our ideas can be fulfilled very nicely if we actually get a nice place. Search it out and surely Krishna will help you. I hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami P.S. The draft board letter must be replied now. It cannot be delayed anymore. ACB letters | 03:53 | 25 April 2005 Friday, April 25, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Govinda Dasi and Gaurasundara, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated April 17, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am very much anxious that Govinda Dasi has fallen sick. Similarly, I am also from yesterday feeling little uncomfortable on account of backache. I think the constant change of climate in Buffalo has affected my rheumatic tendencies, so today I am not feeling very well. In Buffalo we had very nice meetings, and the students, both boys and girls, were very receptive. I am so glad to learn that your center also is improving. Day by day continue to work seriously and faithfully, and it will surely grow to be a very nice center. I have talked with Jadurani yesterday, and she asked my opinion of her going to Hawaii. I advised her to go as soon as possible, and she has proposed to go there when I leave Boston. She is not very seriously ill, but she feels little ill, and with change of climate I think she will improve without any doubt. I am very glad to learn that Kartamasi is now very nicely dressed. Govinda Dasi is surely a good artist, so I am sure Kartamasi is very attractive. Please offer my obeisances to Him. I am very glad to learn from both of your letters that Jill is now staying there. She is very nice girl and intelligent. So the addition of Balabhadra and Jill to our movement is very much appreciated. Please help them to be Krishna Conscious, and it will be great service to Krishna, and you will enhance your Krishna Conscious beauties by such activities. So far as Gaurasundara's request for Caitanya Caritamrta, I have already advised Brahmananda to send it to you immediately. I hope this will meet the both of you in very nice health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 06:44 | April 25, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Lilavati, Please accept my blessings to yourself as well as to your good husband and nice daughter, Subhadra. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 18, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. Regarding your question about the relationship between the living entities and Krishna, the answer is that qualitatively we are one with Krishna: There is no qualitative difference, although the living entity has a different function than Krishna. Prakrti means nature. Just like fire; its nature is heat, and the heat is not a different quality although the function is different. In one sense, fire and heat are nondifferent. Therefore, Lord Caitanya's philosophy of inconceivably simultaneously one and different is the perfect philosophy of our relationship with the Absolute Truth. Everything is manifestation of the prakrti of the Lord, exactly like the heat and light of the fire. Heat and light are not different from the fire, but at the same time, heat and light are not the fire. In this way we have to understand the purusa and prakrti. The Lord is the purusa, or Enjoyer, and prakrti is the enjoyed. Regarding your question about our relationship with Srimati Radharani, She is the internal energy, we are marginal energy. Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy; we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 06:40 | April 25, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Dinesh, Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 22, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I have already acknowledged receipt of your nicely taped kirtana recording. I think that the mrdanga sound should be a little more increase, and the tampura sound should be decreased. When the chorus is chanting in response to the leader, the mrdanga is not very distinctly heard. Therefore, it should be increased. As for when this record will be pressed, I think this should be done as soon as possible, because everyone is already wanting this record. If you cannot get it pressed immediately, then I have asked Brahmananda to arrange for the pressing. I have heard that Dai Nippon Company can give such pressing at a competitive price. The jacket design you have described sounds nice, so you may develop it in this way. I hope this will find you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 05:37 | April 25, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Brahmananda, Please accept my blessings. Advaita and his press contemporaries have agreed to pay me 10,000 per year for the printing of my books. So you can print at least two books, 5,000 copies each by that money. I hope you have by now settled something with Dai Nippon, and if they have agreed, you can hand over the Second Canto, Srimad-Bhagavatam immediately. There is one copy of Caitanya Caritamrta (No. 18) which is received from Calcutta with Bengali titles. This may immediately be sent to Gaurasundara by mail. You will find it on the shelf in my room. It is understood that MacMillan Company was to pay some hundreds of dollars to Gaurasundara for his design, so I do not know whether they have already paid or not. Anyway, you can immediately send him the above-mentioned book, and the price may be paid from his pay from MacMillan. I am awaiting your letter describing your progress with Dai Nippon. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 04:33 | April 25, 1969 Allston, Mass My Dear Vibhavati, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 23, 1969 sent along with the Panca-tattva painting, and I am so glad to learn that you are also a good painter. Your first attempt has been almost successful, so I request you to continue to practice so that excellent paintings may be drawn by you. We require so many pictures for our temples which are already present and which will be opened in the future. Immediately upon receipt of your picture, I had it hung right above my Deity room. Wherever I go I convert one closet into my Deity room, so I shall always be seeing your picture there. I hope this will meet you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 03:29 | April 25, 1969 Allston, Mass. My Dear Advaita, Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated April 23, 1969, and I think your deliberation is right. I am advising Brahmananda to submit the manuscripts to Messrs. Dai Nippon under suitable arrangement, and whatever you can all get together for contributing to this purpose may immediately be handed over to Brahmananda for deposit in my book fund account. Your letter is very much encouraging, and it is worth exhibiting to all grhastha disciples, and not only to disciples, but to people in general who are simply interested in the matter of sense gratification. Our members of Krishna Consciousness society should be ideal human beings, and if they try to follow the principles, surely they will be the ideal men in the world. In Buffalo, we had three meetings, and it was found that the students, both boys and girls, especially the girls, they were very much receptive and encouraging. Please organize the Sankirtana Party very nicely, and try to preach amongst the student community, and I am hopeful that the result will be very great. Brahmananda has taken charge of the sales department, and I hope when he is successful, you will try to open your own press for better production of our publications. Thanking you once more for your letter. I hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 02:56 | April 25, 1969 Boston (Allston), MA My Dear Balabhadra, Please accept my blessings. Both Gaursundara and Govinda dasi have highly spoken about your service attitude, and I am so glad to hear about your activities. Krsna has sent you to our association, and I am sure you are intelligent enough to understand our philosophy. Please try to understand us without any doubt. If there is any question, you can send it to me, and I shall be very glad to reply. But try to understand us nicely, and surely you will be very happy. Both Gaurasundara and Govinda dasi are good devotees, and your association with them will be very much beneficial. I am so glad to learn that your chapatis and other preparations are attracting many guests at our love feast. Here also, as well as in Buffalo, things are improving very rapidly. I think that Hawaii is certainly a very good place for a center. While I was there, I enjoyed the climate very much. In comparison to the climate of the Eastern portion of America, Hawaii is certainly a very good place. Next time, when you get many mangoes, if you invite me I shall go there again. Hope this meets you in good health. Your ever well-wisher, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami letters | 01:51 | |
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